This document discusses JavaScript improvements and changes in Drupal 7. It outlines problems with JavaScript usage in Drupal 6 and provides solutions implemented in Drupal 7, such as a standardized way to add JavaScript through libraries and behaviors, improved AJAX functionality, and core inclusion of jQuery UI. Key changes include separating jQuery from the $ alias, adding weight to script files, supporting external JavaScript, and attaching behaviors to dynamically-loaded content.

1. JavaScript in Drupal 7:
WHAT DEVELOPERS NEED TO KNOW
October 24th, 2009

2. PROBLEM:
jQuery’s use of the $ can interfere with other
libraries.
D6:
$(document).ready(function(){
....
});
October 24th, 2009

3. SOLUTION:
Wrap everthing in the following:
(function($) {
....
})(jQuery);
October 24th, 2009

4. PROBLEM:
Not enough flexibility in how we can add js to our Drupal pages:
- can’t fully control the ordering of js files
- can’t load external js
D6:
drupal_add_js(‘path/to/some_js_file.js’, ‘module’, ‘header’);
October 24th, 2009

5. SOLUTION:
drupal_add_js() now allows you to add a weight value to each script
you’re adding:
- JS_LIBRARY: Any libraries, settings, or jQuery plugins.
- JS_DEFAULT: Any module-layer JavaScript.
- JS_THEME: Any theme-layer JavaScript.
drupal_add_js('jQuery(document).ready(function ()
{ alert("Hello!"); });', array('type' => 'inline', 'scope' => 'footer',
'weight' => 5);
October 24th, 2009

6. SOLUTION:
drupal_add_js() allows you to load external js files:
drupal_add_js('http://example.com/example.js', 'external');
October 24th, 2009

7. PROBLEM:
Some JavaScript code is being provided by core or some contrib
module but it’s not the most up-to-date version.
October 24th, 2009

8. SOLUTION:
hook_js_alter()
function hook_js_alter(&$javascript) {
// Swap out jQuery to use an updated version of the library.
$javascript['misc/jquery.js']['data'] = drupal_get_path('module',
'jquery_update') . '/jquery.js';
}
October 24th, 2009

9. Renderable arrays and #attached js:
function render_my_content() {
$build['myelement'] = array(
'#theme' => 'my_theme_function',
'#myvar' => $myvar,
'#attached' => array('js' => drupal_get_path('module', 'mymodule') .
'/myjs.js', 'css' => drupal_get_path('module', 'mymodule') . '/
styles.css'),
);
$output = drupal_render($build);
return $output;
}
October 24th, 2009

10. PROBLEM:
There’s no standard way of adding collections of JavaScript and
CSS, such as jQuery plugins
October 24th, 2009

11. SOLUTION: Libraries
function system_library() {
...
// Vertical Tabs.
$libraries['vertical-tabs'] = array(
'title' => 'Vertical Tabs',
'website' => 'http://drupal.org/node/323112',
'version' => '1.0',
hook_library() 'js' => array(
'misc/vertical-tabs.js' => array(),
),
'css' => array(
'misc/vertical-tabs.css' => array(),
),
);
...
return $libraries;
}
October 24th, 2009

12. function mymodule_library() {
SOLUTION: Libraries $libraries['mylibrary'] = array(
'title' => 'An Awesome Library',
'website' => 'http://example.com/library',
'version' => '3.1-beta1',
'js' => array(
// JavaScript settings may use the 'data' key.
array(
'type' => 'setting',
'data' => array('mylibrary' => TRUE),
hook_library() ),
),
'dependencies' => array(
// Require jQuery UI core by System module.
array('system' => 'ui'),
// Require our other library.
array('mymodule', 'library-1'),
// Require another library.
array('other_module', 'library-2'),
),
);
return $libraries;
}
October 24th, 2009

13. SOLUTION: Libraries
function theme_vertical_tabs($variables) {
$element = $variables['element'];
// Add required JavaScript and Stylesheet.
drupal_add_library('system', 'vertical-
drupal_add_libarary() tabs');
return '<div class="vertical-tabs-panes">' .
$element['#children'] . '</div>';
}
October 24th, 2009

14. PROBLEM:
AHAH forms make people want to jump out the window of very tall
buildings
October 24th, 2009

15. AHAH in D6.... ugh!
function quicktabs_ahah() {
$form_state = array('storage' => NULL, 'submitted' => FALSE);
$form_build_id = $_POST['form_build_id'];
$form = form_get_cache($form_build_id, $form_state);
$args = $form['#parameters'];
$form_id = array_shift($args);
$form['#post'] = $_POST;
$form['#redirect'] = FALSE;
$form['#programmed'] = FALSE;
$form_state['post'] = $_POST;
drupal_process_form($form_id, $form, $form_state);
$form = drupal_rebuild_form($form_id, $form_state, $args, $form_build_id);
$qt_form = $form['qt_wrapper']['tabs'];
unset($qt_form['#prefix'], $qt_form['#suffix']); // Prevent duplicate wrappers.
$javascript = drupal_add_js(NULL, NULL, 'header');
drupal_json(array(
'status' => TRUE,
'data' => theme('status_messages') . drupal_render($qt_form),
'settings' => call_user_func_array('array_merge_recursive',
$javascript['setting']),
));
}
October 24th, 2009

16. AJAX in D7.... :-)
function quicktabs_ajax($form, $form_state) {
$form_tabs = $form['qt_wrapper']['tabs'];
$output = drupal_render($form_tabs);
return $output;
}
October 24th, 2009

17. SOLUTION:
There’s now a framework for ajax in Drupal
Merlinofchaos has done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! :-)
October 24th, 2009

18. PROBLEM:
Ajax-loaded content doesn’t get behaviors attached to it if they
depend on Drupal.settings
October 24th, 2009

19. SOLUTION:
Drupal.attachBehaviors now takes a second parameter, which is the
local settings for the portion of the DOM it’s attaching behaviors to:
Drupal.attachBehaviors(context, settings)
October 24th, 2009

20. To have the settings available for your ajax-loaded content:
- your ajax callback must make a call to drupal_add_js to grab the
JavaScript for the output it’s rendering
- it must return the settings array as part of its response
- when your ajax success function makes a call to
Drupal.attachBehaviors, it must pass in the settings from the
response.
October 24th, 2009

21. function quicktabs_ajax_qtabs($qtid) {
$tabpage = array(
'type' => 'qtabs',
'qtid' => $qtid,
);
$output = quicktabs_render_tabpage($tabpage);
$scripts = drupal_add_js(NULL, NULL);
$settings = call_user_func_array('array_merge_recursive', $scripts['settings']
['data']);
drupal_json_output(array('status' => TRUE, 'data' => $output, 'settings' =>
$settings));
}
October 24th, 2009

22. Drupal.quicktabs.tab.prototype.success = function(response) {
var result = Drupal.parseJson(response.data);
this.container.append(Drupal.theme('quicktabsResponse', this,
result));
Drupal.attachBehaviors(this.container, response.settings);
}
October 24th, 2009

23. Drupal.behaviors.quicktabs = {
attach: function (context, settings) {
$.extend(true, Drupal.settings, settings);
$('.quicktabs_wrapper:not(.quicktabs-processed)',
context).addClass('quicktabs-processed').each(function(){
Drupal.quicktabs.prepare(this);
});
}
}
October 24th, 2009

24. jQuery UI is in core
- accordion - progressbar effects:
- datepicker - resizable - bounce
- dialog - selectable - explode
- draggable - sortable - fold
- droppable - tabs - pulsate
October 24th, 2009

25. jQuery UI is in core
function render_accordion_block() {
$build['myelement'] = array(
'#theme' => 'my_accordion',
);
$build['myelement']['#attached']['library'][] = array('system',
'ui.accordion');
$build['myelement']['#attached']['js'][] = array('data' =>
'(function($){$(function() { $("#accordion").accordion(); })})(jQuery);',
'type' => 'inline');
$output = drupal_render($build);
return $output;
}
October 24th, 2009

26. Miscellaneous Changes:
- Drupal.behaviors are now attached and detached
- drupal_to_js is now drupal_json_encode
- drupal_json is now drupal_json_output
- use jQuery.once() to attach a behaviour once
October 24th, 2009

27. QUESTIONS?
October 24th, 2009